The Small Stuff-2017 Holiday Gift Edition

This is one of my favorite parts of my holiday guide year after year.  I love finding little treasures that will not only entertain kids but will work on improving a variety of developmental skills.  Personally, I find shopping for stocking stuffers more fun than anything because my daughter spends more time picking out her Santa gifts.  The things that she opens in her stocking are usually 100% a surprise and more often than not, the things she is most interested in since they are totally novel.

I am constantly on the lookout for little toys and gifts when exploring my neighborhood stores.  There are a lot of holiday gifts that can't be found at my local stores but I do my best to support y local small businesses when I can.  Many of the items listed below can be found at the following New York City/Brooklyn based stores:  Lion In The Sun, Pink Olive, Little Things, Norman & Jules, Lulu's Cut and Toys, Stationery and Toy World on the UWS, Mary Arnold Toys and West Side Kids.

Below, I share some of my favorite little gifts...little treasures that will bring joy to your children.  I tried to include things that I thought parents would enjoy playing with with their kids as well.  There is a whole lot of old school toys mixed in with some of the current fads.  The one thing they all have in common is that they will help develop essential skills without your kids really knowing it.


Moulin Roty Town and Country Transfers-I love when I find something that brings me back to my own childhood and this is definitely one of those things that sends me back in time. The Town and Country Transfers comes with over 30 pictures that you can put into the provided scene or put on your own blank canvas (they will show up on either black or white paper).  This is a great and affordable craft that will not only encourage creativity and imagination, it also works on improving fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, visual motor and perceptual skills and focus, attention, planning and organizational skills.

Slime Suckers-these were one of my greatest finds of the year.  Kids can work on improving grasp strength and manipulation skills while grossing out family and friends.  They simply squeeze the sucker and put into the slime and release the sucker and watch the slime disappear.  To get the slime out, they squeeze it again.


Zoo Sticks-these are always a favorite for kids.  They can use the chopsticks to eat or to pick up small objects.  I always have a few pairs with me at home and at work.  There are all kinds of different ones to choose from including farm animals, sea creatures and vehicles.  Kids can work on improving grasp strength, manipulation skills and visual motor/perceptual skills while using them.

Aaron's Thinking Putty- you can never go wrong with Aaron's Thinking Putty.  There are a ton of different ones to choose from.  I love their holiday themed options:  the Mini Holiday Collection and the Gelt Trio come in small tins making it great for throwing into a bag to entertain your kids when you are on the run.  Kids love when I hide little objects in the putty.  Great for working on improving grasp strength and manipulation skills.


Sidewalk Chalk Spray-chalk is always a great gift for kids of all ages.  Living in Brooklyn, you see some amazing chalk art on the sidewalks.  Some of my favorite times with my own daughter are warm spring and summer nights out on our sidewalk drawing with chalk.  This set of chalk spray comes with 4 colors; add some water, shake and let your kids start creating.  You can pair this gift with these chalk stencils.  This is not only great for encouraging imagination and creativity but also works on improving grasp strength and manipulation skills, hand-eye coordination and visual motor and perceptual activities.
**while we like to keep our sidewalk art up for as long as Mother Nature allows, some don't.  The Sidewalk Chalk Spray easily rinses away with a hose or a rain shower.  

Rainbow Twirler-sometimes, the simplest of toys can bring more joy than those that cost a lot.  This simple toy will keep kids entertained for hours and costs almost nothing.   Kids spin the toy and create all kinds of rainbow shapes.  It's a great way to work on improving hand-eye coordination, motor planning and organizational skills.


Memory Maze-I couldn't love this hand-held Simon Says game more!  Just like the original Simon Says, kids have to to follow the light pattern.  If you get all the way to 15 steps, you win.  This is great for working on improving hand-eye coordination, memory skills and executive functioning skills such as focus, attention, organization and memory.  Kids (and their grownups) of all ages will love this and most likely become obsessed with this game.

Mini Bop-It-who doesn't love Bop-It?  This is one of those games that I loved as a kid and so happy that it's still around.  This mini version of the game will be sure to keep your kids entertained while also working on improving hand-eye coordination, sequencing, focus, attention, motor planning and organizational skills.  If you have a child who has difficulty with following directions or may have auditory processing delays, this is a great toy for them.


Squiggle Wiggle Writer Pen-kids will love to write and draw with this vibrating pen.  As they write and draw, the vibrating pens turns their words and pictures into squiggly ones.  Each pen comes with 4 different colored inks that you can swap out.  Fun way to encourage kids to draw and write.

Super Duper Scented Gel Pens-I've spent a lot of time looking for the perfect gel pens and I have found them in this set by OOLY.  This set contains 24 mini gel pens in a durable case.  There are 12 glitter, 6 neon and 6 pastel pens and each has its own scent which is always fun for kids.  These are the brightest and most vibrant gel pens I have found.  The smaller size of the pen helps to encourage a proper grasp when holding it.  Kids will want to practice writing, draw or color if they have these pens!

Wikki Stix-I first discovered Wikki Stix when at a restaurant with kids years ago.  Instead of the usual crayons and activity menu, this place gave out little packs of Wikki Stix to entertain the kids.  At first I was confused and wondered how it would possibly keep them quiet for an entire meal, but then I was fighting with the kids to play with them and I quickly understood.  For those of you not in the know, Wikki Stix are basically different colored wax covered yarn that can be bent into different shapes.  They can be used for play and for learning.  Kids can practice making different shapes, letters or numbers by bending the Wikki Stix.  For younger kids, you can have them put the Wikki Stix on printed out shapes, letters or numbers and for younger kids you can provide them with a blank piece of paper and have them create them without a visual cue.  They are incredibly durable and can't be ripped or torn (you can cut them into smaller pieces if you need to).  Wikki Stix are great for working on improving fine motor skills, such as improving grasp strength and manipulation skills, encourages bilateral coordination skills.

Build Bonanza Lego Tape-I know for a fact that I'm not alone in having a kid who is obsessed with Legos.  While she loves building sets, she is also happy making her own creations.  We are now in love with our rolls of Lego compatible tape that can make any surface a place to create with Legos and other kinds of building blocks.  It's flexible, bendable and can be put on curved and corner surfaces.  It can be cut to whatever shape you want....I like the idea of writing your kids name with them.  Great for working on increasing grasp strength and manipulation skills, improves visual motor and perceptual skills, hand-eye coordination and encourages creativity and imagination.

Hogwild Poppers-finding the right toy to work on hand strengthening can be tricky because kids who are weak are very good at avoiding those kinds of activities.  When it comes to doing it at home, it really has to be motivating and seem like a toy and not a therapy activity.  The Hog Wild Popper toys are perfect for this and definitely are more fun than work.  My unicorn obsessed daughter has been gifted more of these than I can count and loves them.  There are TONS of poppers to choose from ranging from animals to team mascots and all are just under $10.  The balls are foam so there is little risk for them hurting someone else or breaking anything in your house.
In addition to hand strengthening, they are great for working on improving bilateral coordination, hand eye coordination, motor planning and focus and attentional skills.  You can also combine working on improving visual and gross motor skills by setting up a target that kids aim towards and then having them wheelbarrow walk, run or do some kind of animal crawl to retrieve the ball.

Touch and Feel Forest Friends Puzzles -finding interlocking puzzles for younger kids can be challenging but this set by Mudpuppy is a great one. It comes with 4 3-piece interlocking puzzles and each one has a different textured piece that encourages sensory exploration.  The puzzles are made from durable materials that are perfect for those rough toddlers!  These are great for improving hand-eye coordination, bilateral coordination, visual motor and perceptual skills and improves problem solving, focus, attention and organizational skills.

Puzzle Trio Stories-I love these mini puzzles from one of my favorite toy companies, Djeco.  This set contains 8 3-piece puzzles that when put together tell a story.  They are great for working on improving visual motor and perceptual skills, hand-eye coordination, bilateral coordination and focus, attention, motor planning and organizational skills. If you have a child who has speech and language delays, they are a fun way to work on sequencing and storytelling skills.  You can make these more portable by throwing them in a ziploc bag.

Plus-Plus Tubes-one of my favorite open-ended manipulative toys out there.  They have a large selection of tubes which come with about 70 pieces and instructions for something you can make.  The tubes are great for throwing in a bag and taking on the go to keep your kids entertained while at a restaurant, in waiting rooms, etc..  I especially love their holiday themed tubes available right now like snowflakes, an elf and a Christmas Tree!  They are great for improving fine motor skills such as grasp strength and manipulation skills, improves visual motor and visual perceptual skills and encourages creativity and imagination.

Super Sonic Gyro Disc-I was so excited when I came across this toy in a little bookstore while on vacation this summer.  I remember playing with something similar to the gyro disc as a child and thought it would be a perfect addition to my occupational therapy tool box and a great toy for parents to have at home.
This simple and inexpensive toy (I picked mine up for under $5)  is great for working on improving bilateral coordination skills, increasing upper extremity strength, motor planning and organizational skills.  Kids are motivated by the spinning noise and how the LED lights light up once they get it going.  This can be tricky for the kids to get started so I sometimes offer hand-over-hand assistance until they feel like they have the hang of it.  For older kids, I add a challenge by having them do this activity while balancing on a balance board or a bosu ball.
Clip-On Doodle Pro-a great gift to keep your little ones entertained while on the go.  The Clip-On Doodle Pro is a magnetic drawing board that you can throw into a bag, attach to your child's backpack or keep in the car.  Encourages creativity and imagination while also working on improving visual motor and perceptual skills.

Sticker Puzzles-these make a great gift for kids of all ages.  These sticker puzzles by Lee Publications come in a variety of sizes and feature some of your children's favorite characters from movies and television shows.  They simply find the matching number on the grid; as they add the stickers, a picture comes to life.  Great for working on improving hand-eye coordination, visual motor and perceptual skills and works on increasing grasping and manipulation skills.
Mini Coloring Rolls-do you have a kid who loves to color?  Mudpuppy's Mini Coloring Rolls are perfect for them then.  They will enjoy 3 feet of coloring (there are a bunch of different ones to choose from based on your kid's interests) at home or on the go.  Each set comes with a box that you can use as storage and keeping the picture from getting torn or wrinkled when not being colored.  It also includes a few crayons but I always make sure to have a little baggie of gel pens or markers in my bag for my daughter.  This is a fun way to keep your kids entertained but will also work on improving visual motor and perceptual skills, hand-eye coordination, focus, attention and organizational skills.

Mini Pocket Pal Journals-in addition to always having markers or gel pens with me, I ALWAYS have some kind of notebook or drawing pad for my daughter to draw in when we are out and about (especially when we are going out to eat). She loves to draw, have us throw spelling words at her or to just write her own stories while we are sitting at the table.  For under $10 you can give your kid the gift of imagination and creativity.  For under $10, your kid can get a set of 8 books with some of their favorite creatures on the cover.  These are great for keeping your kids engaged during down time, encourage creativity and imagination, work on improving graphomotor skills and executive functioning skills such as focus, attention, organization and task management.

These are just a handful of my favorite small gifts. I would love to hear from you all and hear about your favorite small gifts/stocking stuffers.  I am always a click away and am always happy to hear from my readers with their suggestions.

Ten OT Tools For Under $10

Often times, parents of the kids I work with are looking for activities that they can do at home to carryover the work we do in our sessions without spending a ton of money.  Seeing how it is NYC and people don't have a ton of space, they also don't want anything that takes up too much space.  Personally, I like to provide suggestions to parents that they can throw in their bag and easily take places.  Things that can keep kids occupied while waiting for an appointment, at a restaurant or for traveling.

There are so many great items out there that parents can use at home that will help develop skills in children.  These are things that don't cost a ton of money (which is a bonus if you have to buy for multiple children) that can be as therapeutic as the expensive toys out there.  Below, I share some of my favorite therapy tools that are all under $10.  Many can be found in little toy stores but I have shared links for online ordering.


Slime Suckers-I found these at a Learning Express and knew they would be a huge hit with the kids. First of all, I discovered them as the slime fad was at it's peak so anything slime related motivates kids.  Secondly, what kid doesn't love something a little gross?  This simple little toy is great for working on improving grasp strength and manipulation skills, bilateral coordination, hand-eye coordination, motor planning and organizational skills.  With a little squeeze, the animal (there are monsters, hedgehogs, pigs, etc.) sucks up the slime in the container; with another squeeze, and maybe have the kids make a silly sound, the slime comes shooting out of the toy.   One of the really great things about this toy is that it is small, lightweight and easy to carry around.  So if you are a therapist that travels a lot for work, these are perfect for you.

Zoo Stix-these are easily one of my favorite and most recommended tools for parents.  You can find them in lots of independent toy stores (I get mine at Little Things in Park Slope or Stationery and Toy World on the UWS of Manhattan).  These child-friendly chopsticks have different objects on top that connect the sticks together.  There are a variety of animals, cars, etc. so if you find the right object and color, the kids truly love using them.  Using child friendly chopsticks are a great way to work on improving grasp strength and manipulation skills, encourages bilateral coordination, hand eye coordination and can work on motor planning.  I've been using them at work since day one and love how versatile they can be.  In therapy sessions, I have kids use them to help pick up small pieces of games but their favorite thing is when I have them rescue my squishy dinosaurs, robots, frogs and other animals.

Sticker Puzzles-a few years ago, when wandering around a local NYC toy store, I discovered these awesome sticker puzzles by Lee Publications.  I was initially drawn to the books because they had Frozen characters on them and that was the big thing at the time.  Each book comes with 8 different puzzles  and then they match numbers (as few as 8 and as many as 48 stickers per puzzle) to create images from their favorite tv shows and movies.  Kids are super motivated by this activity because they get to take their finished product home and show off what they did.  These are great for working on improving a variety of visual motor and perceptual skills, grasp and in-hand manipulation skills, hand eye coordination, number recognition, focus, attention and organizational skills.  There's a lot of ways to adapt this activity to work on other goals as well.  For example, if you need to work on improving shoulder stability and upper extremity strengthening, you can hang the picture up on the wall or on any other inclined surface.

Super Sonic Gyro Disc-I was so excited when I came across this toy in a little bookstore while on vacation a few weeks ago.  I remember playing with something similar to the gyro disc as a child and thought it would be a perfect addition to my occupational therapy tool box and a great toy for parents to have at home.
This simple and inexpensive toy (I picked mine up for under $5)  is great for working on improving bilateral coordination skills, increasing upper extremity strength, motor planning and organizational skills.  Kids are motivated by the spinning noise and how the LED lights light up once they get it going.  This can be tricky for the kids to get started so I sometimes offer hand-over-hand assistance until they feel like they have the hang of it.  For older kids, I add a challenge by having them do this activity while balancing on a balance board or a bosu ball.

Hog Wild Popper Toy-finding the right toy to work on hand strengthening can be tricky because kids who are weak are very good at avoiding those kinds of activities.  When it comes to doing it at home, it really has to be motivating and seem like a toy and not a therapy activity.  The Hog Wild Popper toys are perfect for this and definitely are more fun than work.  My unicorn obsessed daughter has been gifted more of these than I can count and loves them.  There are TONS of poppers to choose from ranging from animals to team mascots and all are just under $10.  The balls are foam so there is little risk for them hurting someone else or breaking anything in your house.
In addition to hand strengthening, they are great for working on improving bilateral coordination, hand eye coordination, motor planning and focus and attentional skills.  You can also combine working on improving visual and gross motor skills by setting up a target that kids aim towards and then having them wheelbarrow walk, run or do some kind of animal crawl to retrieve the ball.

Wikki Stix-I first discovered Wikki Stix when at a restaurant with kids years ago.  Instead of the usual crayons and activity menu, this place gave out little packs of Wikki Stix to entertain the kids.  At first I was confused and wondered how it would possibly keep them quiet for an entire meal, but then I was fighting with the kids to play with them and I quickly understood.  For those of you not in the know, Wikki Stix are basically different colored wax covered yarn that can be bent into different shapes.  They can be used for play and for learning.  Kids can practice making different shapes, letters or numbers by bending the Wikki Stix.  For younger kids, you can have them put the Wikki Stix on printed out shapes, letters or numbers and for younger kids you can provide them with a blank piece of paper and have them create them without a visual cue.  They are incredibly durable and can't be ripped or torn (you can cut them into smaller pieces if you need to).  Wikki Stix are great for working on improving fine motor skills, such as improving grasp strength and manipulation skills, encourages bilateral coordination and can help work on improving tactile defensiveness because of it's sticky texture.

Wrapper Snapper/Pop Tubes-sometimes the simplest toys can bring kids tons of joy.  Wrapper snappers, or pop tubes as some call them, are one of those toys.  I always make sure to have a stash of them at work and they are always included in my annual gift guide.  They are great for working on improving bilateral coordination, grasp and upper extremity strength and motor planning.  If you get a bunch of different colors, they are a fun way to work on color recognition.  In our gym, we have kids use them as "slides" and they take small sorting bears and sort them into colored cups.  These are a great toy to have at home because they are lightweight and you can throw them into a bag.  An added bonus, they are really inexpensive so you can get some for all your kids!

Travel Notebook-another easy thing to have around that helps school age children who are working on improving their handwriting skills is a cool notebook.  There are a lot of notebooks to choose from, but I really like this one from OOLY because it comes with a little folder to hold things (my kid like to collect business cards, pamphlets, etc.), a place to store a writing instrument (comes with one but you can swap it out for whatever works for your kid) and a variety of different kinds of paper (lined, graph and plain) to write or draw on.  I love having a notebook with me at all times to keep my daughter entertained while at restaurants or when traveling.  Some things you can do with your kids:  play games like Hangman, Tic-Tac-Toe or the Dot Game.  I like to do things like I Spy with my daughter and have her write down things that might start with a certain letter, different types of animals she sees, etc..  It's a great way for her to practice handwriting and spelling and keeps her connected to her environment.  She loves that she has her own special notebook that nobody else can use and there are no real rules attached to it (like a school notebook which has to be used for very specific things).

Mad Libs-one of my absolute favorite things to recommend to work on handwriting at home is Mad Libs.  Who doesn't remember doing these as kids?  Not that I had forgotten about them, but I hadn't used them in a while until my daughter was learning how to read and write.  She was becoming so frustrated with learning this new skill that we had to find ways to make it fun and motivating.  She zipped through page after page and with each one, her writing and reading improved.  An added bonus, she was able to learn all about verbs, nouns, adjectives and all other parts of speech.  The variety of Mad Lib books that one can choose from is awesome.  They range from sports to Star Wars and other popular movies.  In addition to being a great way to work on handwriting, this can be a perfect social opportunity between siblings or on play dates.  For younger children, who are not quite ready for regular Mad Libs, you can check out Mad Libs Junior.  One is never too young (or old based on how much my husband and I enjoy doing them) for Mad Libs.

Mini Sport Games-the toughest kids to work with at home are the school-age kids because they are so busy with other things.  It's critical that if you are going to try and work with things at home with them that they are highly motivating and are matched with their interests.  There are a whole bunch of mini-sport games out there that can work on improving fine motor, manipulation, visual motor/perceptual and executive functioning skills (focus, attention, organization, etc.).  These games can also be used to work on improving social skills, especially to practice sportsmanship for kids who might struggle with winning/losing.  There could be lots of opportunities for role playing and working on strategies on how to deal with problems that might come up during sports.  Here are some of my favorites and all are priced under $10:
Fingerboard Ice Hockey
Football Fingerboard
Fingerboard Golf
FIKA Basketball
Mini Tabletop Basketball

Now that I have shared some of my favorite and affordable OT tools, I would love to hear from you about some of your favorites.  I know there are tons of things out there and would love to know what kinds of toys and products you use with your kids that get them to work without making it feel like work.  I am only a click away and love hearing from you all.

It's All About the Self-Care Skills

Whenever I tell people what I do as an occupational therapist, I tell them I get to play with some of New York City's coolest kids.  And while that is totally true, oftentimes, there is more to my job than just that.  One of the parts of my job that is almost more important than teaching them how to properly hold onto a writing instrument is to teach them to be more independent for self-care skills.

Having a child who is independent in feeding themselves, getting themselves dressed and to be comfortable/happy with their clothing, tying their shoes and all other aspects of self-care skills is something that us parents of typically developing children may take for granted.  The good thing is that there are a lot of smart and creative people, most often people who have once worked with children with disabilities or parents of those kids, who have created some really amazing products to help make life easier for families.

Below, you will find some of the products that I recommend to families, therapists, teachers, etc. to help make life easier.  And when I say easier, I also mean to help make kids feel more independent during these activities so they can build confidence and self-esteem.

Reflo Smart Cup-one of the things I am asked to work on with my kids is drinking from an open top cop.  As a parent, we love the idea of spill-proof sippy cups but as kids get older, they need to learn how to drink from a regular cup.  One of the biggest obstacles for the kids I work with is to learn how to grade their movements when drinking from a regular cup so that the water doesn't spill all over their face.  One of the best training cups I have seen was one that was recommended by a friend who is also a speech therapist.  The Reflo Smart Cup is a simple plastic cup that has an insert you slip into the cup that slows down the flow of the liquid.  I have recommended this to lots of parents and other therapist friends over the years and everyone has loved them.  They have seen kids who refused to try a variety of cups become independent cup drinks after just a short amount of time practicing using the Reflo.  This cup is perfect for all kids, but especially great for children who may present with motor control/movement or other physical disabilities.  Best part, the cup is affordable and lightweight which makes it easy to throw in a big and take with you wherever you may go.

EZ Sox-I've been a huge fan of EZ Sox since I first learned about them.  EZ Sox are super cute and comfortable socks that have a loop on either side of the sock.  These loops serve a really important purpose:  they are there so kids can put their thumbs in them so they can easily pull a sock up over their heels.  Additionally, many of the socks are animals with the face on the front side and a tail on the back side.  It's a great visual cue for kids to know that their socks are on the right way.
I can't tell you how much time I have spent trying to teach kids how to put socks on their feet, but it's a whole lot of time.  Several years ago, I was introduced to EZ Sox and they have made every Holiday Gift Guide of mine since and have been recommended to more people than I can count.  And to make it clear...I recommend the EZ Sox to all parents, not just the parents of the kids I work with, because we just want our kids to be able to help with the whole getting dressed process.  My nieces and daughter all learned how to put socks on their feet by using EZ Sox.
I haven't personally used any of their other products, but I love how this company has evolved over the years.  They now have underpants/boxers and a whole line of adult products which is great because many of the kids I have and will work with have physical disabilities that may have a direct impact on the level of independence for dressing/undressing skills for their entire lives.

Zoo Sticks-meal time can be such a nightmare for parents.  Kids getting up and down from the table a hundred times is enough to make a parent crazy!  What drives me totally crazy is when I look over and see my 6 year old daughter using her hands to feed herself.  One of the things that I have used with her, and have suggested to a lot of the parents who have the same frustration, are using kid-friendly chopsticks.  Not only are the Zoo Sticks great for working on improving fine motor skills, grasp strength and coordination skills, they are super motivating for kids who seem to be reluctant to using forks and spoons.  Find an animal that your kid is really interested in and I promise you that you won't see them using their fingers to feed themselves!
For younger kids, check out this awesome new product by Skip Hop.  Their Zoo Little Training Chopsticks were designed with little hands in mind!  As someone who has never learned how to properly use chopsticks, I am excited about these chopsticks that will introduce the littles to using them at a very early age!


Suction Cup Plates and Bowls-some of the kids I work with have a really difficult time with bilateral coordination, the ability to use two hands at the same time during activities.  So that can make them being independent during mealtime challenging.  To go back to the fact that we can take for granted that our kids are independent, imagine having a kid who doesn't really have the ability to use two hands at the same time.  Whether it be because of a physical disability, decreased strength or coordination, there are some kids who just don't use two hands at the same time.  When you are eating, being able to use two hands is important....you need one hand to hold a fork or a spoon and the other to hold the plate or bowl.  The good news is that if you happen to have a kid who may be struggling with this, there are options.  There are a lot of great suction cup options out there that will help encourage independence.  The thing with suction cup plates and bowls is that if your child is struggling with feeding, they will take away some of the work.  Here are a few
Beary Hungry Suction Placemats-this placemat not only sticks snuggly to a tabletop surface, it is broken into sections so if you happen to have a kid who doesn't like foods to touch, this is your thing.  For the more difficult food to scoop up, you can place them in a spot where there is a lip and they can scoop their food up easier.
Tomy Toddler Suction Plate-this 3-section plate will stick to a high-chair or any flat surface.  I love that it has a lipped surface which makes it easier for kids who struggle with scooping food off of a plate a little bit easier.

Soft Clothing (clothing and accessories for kids with tactile sensitivity)-one of the biggest struggles that my kids with sensory processing difficulties have is finding clothing that they feel comfortable in.  Some kids don't like the feeling of buttons/snaps/elastics/etc. against their skin.  Jeans or pants are too stiff and uncomfortable.  The seams in socks and underpants can send a kid to place of such discomfort that parents end up letting their kids go without them to avoid a complete meltdown.

Super soft t-shirt from Pickybunny

When I first began practicing years ago, parents felt like their only option was sweatpants and t-shirts.  Now, there are a lot of different options that are both sensory friendly and fashionable.  I love that there are options for parents and kids when it comes to clothing because I know just how big of an impact not feeling comfortable in your clothing can have on whether or not you have a good day.
Here are a few places you should check out if on the lookout to help make dressing time less stressful for everyone:
SmartKnit Kids-they have a large selection of seamless products for those super-sensitive kids who always seem to feel a bump or wrinkle.  Their socks, underwear, undershirts and bralettes are made out of a very soft fabric that reduces wrinkles.
Pickybunny Clothes-this line of girls clothing and pajamas are not only really cute, but have 3 different levels of softness to choose from depending on how sensitive your child is:  soft, super soft and heavenly soft.  I kinda wish some of their stuff came in my size!
Lucky and Me-another company that took picky and sensitive kids into consideration when they designed their girls and boys underwear collection.  Made of super soft, organic cotton, these tagless undergarments are an affordable and stylish option for your sensitive child.
Jorgensons-this family run company knows the importance of knowing that when kids are comfortable in their clothing, they will have increased confidence, self-esteem and be able to function better during their day.  Their clothes are not only soft and seamless and tagless, they are really cool too!  The hole for the head to go through is larger than typical shirts so there is no struggle or worry about their heads getting stuck while dressing.
Independence Day Clothing-this line of clothing which was recommended by my colleague Lindsey Biel.  There are no seams and it doesn't matter what way they are put on.  Kids will be able to dress themselves independently and comfortably.  There are no tags, there are no buttons, snaps or zippers and all clothes can be worn inside or out.

U-Lace-one thing I have found in my years as an occupational therapist is that kids are learning how to tie shoes much later than we were younger. There are so many slip-on, zipper and velcro options when it comes to shoes that kids just don't need to learn this skill.  For some of the kids I work with, those with significant fine motor, motor planning and executive functioning delays, learning how to tie shoes is almost impossible and not something that I find should be a priority when looking at the bigger picture.  When it really comes down to it, some kids will never learn to tie their shoes and that's okay.  They will learn a million other things that are far more important and will allow them to be independent.
As kids get older though, they will need more than just slip-on shoes and velcro just doesn't look right after a certain age.  U-Lace turns any sneaker into a slip on shoe.  Simply put, they are elastic bands that you put into your shoes.  Due to the nature of the fabrics/fibers that they have used, they don't stretch out and will keep your feet securely in place.  They come in a variety of colors and patterns and can be used in sneakers or dress shoes.

I will probably repeat myself, but I do feel like this encouraging and promoting independence in kids is one of the most important parts of my job.  When a person is able to take care of themselves and feel comfortable in their skin (or clothing), they are way more likely to live a more successful life.  I've shared my favorite products but I know there are a lot more out there.  If you are a creator or an admirer of some kind of amazing product that promotes independence for self-care skills, please share them.  I am sure that many of my readers would love to hear what kinds of things you are using at home or in practice to foster independence for self-care skills.  I am always a click awayotmeghan@gmail.com and love hearing from you all!